Sporting Lisbon hope to hand Goncalo Inacio a new contract complete with a massive release clause as Premier League duo Liverpool and Newcastle United eye the Portugal U21 international, according to O Jogo.
Left-sided centre-halves do not grow on trees. And, with so many clubs in need of one, demand far outstrips supply. As such, Sporting Lisbon – like RB Leipzig with Josko Gvardiol – know that they can negotiate from a position of strength, demanding a substantial fee for 21-year-old Inacio due to a lack of high-quality alternatives.
Liverpool, Goal say, are looking at Goncalo Inacio and Benfica’s Antonio Silva; Jurgen Klopp seemingly on the lookout for a long-term Virgil van Dijk replacement. Newcastle are also big fans of Sporting Lisbon’s number 25; The Magpies looking to lure some of the game’s most exciting young talent to St James’ Park.
And, with the summer window now only a couple of months away, Sporting are leaving nothing to chance as they look to ensure that – if Inacio does go – he departs having given their coffers a substantial boost.
Liverpool and Newcastle like Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio
Inacio currently has a £40 million release clause in a contract which runs until 2026. Sporting want the academy graduate to sign a 12-month extension; increasing his clause from £40 million to around £70 million.
Inacio, a typically modern, ball-playing centre-half who loves a raking diagonal and a long-range shot, helped Ruben Amorim’s Sporting knock Arsenal out of the UEFA Europa League last week, setting up a quarter-final clash with Serie A giants Juventus in April.
“The psychological aspect is one of his great strengths. He shows a lot of composure in any situation, in addition to his technical skills,” former Sporting forward Jose Lima tells Bola Branca of Inacio.
“He manages to show that he is completely calm and that is a great asset. (Inacio) can play on the left side because his dominant foot is the left one. Although, at Sporting, he (sometimes) plays on the right side. He has, therefore, evolved and has become more confident with as the games go by.
“He’s an increasingly strong player. He has always played with quality.”
Newcastle, Desporto say, failed with a £25 million bid for Inacio at the start of 2022.
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